Sawantwadi Lacquerware & Ganjifa Cards of Maharashtra

The story

Sawantwadi, a small former princely state near Maharashtra's Konkan coast, built an outsized reputation on two crafts: glossy lacquered woodwork and Ganjifa, the hand-painted circular playing cards of pre-colonial India. Both were nurtured by the Chitari community — hereditary painters and craftsmen who settled here under the patronage of the Sawant Bhonsle rulers. Ganjifa itself arrived in India with the Mughals, but Sawantwadi made the game its own with the Dashavatara set, in which the suits are the ten avatars of Vishnu, each card a miniature devotional painting. When printed playing cards killed the game commercially, the craft nearly vanished; it survived because the royal family turned the palace itself into a workshop, training artisans and finding new audiences for the cards as collectible art. Alongside Ganjifa, the town's lathes produce its famous lacquered fruit — mangoes, chikoos and bananas so convincingly turned and coloured that bowls of them still sit in Maharashtrian homes — as well as spinning tops, dolls and toys. Together they make Sawantwadi one of western India's most complete surviving court-craft traditions, where painting, turning and play share the same workbench.

How it is made

Sawantwadi's lacquerware starts on the lathe. Local woods such as pangara and mango are turned to shape, then coloured while still spinning: sticks of lac mixed with pigment are pressed against the rotating surface, where friction heat melts the lac into a smooth, glossy skin. A final buff brings up the shine — no synthetic varnish needed. Ganjifa cards follow a painter's process instead. Circular discs are prepared with a smooth ground, then painted freehand with fine brushes, traditionally in natural pigments, each avatar's iconography rendered in miniature. A protective lacquer coat gives the finished card its durability and gentle sheen. A full Dashavatara pack runs to 120 cards, every one painted by hand.

Buying guide

Hand-turned lacquerware shows subtle tool marks and slight asymmetry; the colour should feel fused into the surface, not painted on top, and should not chip at the edges. On Ganjifa cards, look for confident freehand brushwork — printed reproductions have flat, uniform lines. A small lacquered fruit or top starts around ₹500, painted boxes and larger toys sit in the low thousands, and complete hand-painted Ganjifa sets can reach ₹30,000 depending on card count and detail.

Care

Wipe lacquerware with a soft dry cloth; avoid water, which can dull the lac surface, and keep pieces out of prolonged direct sun to prevent fading. Ganjifa cards should be handled by the edges, stored flat in their box away from humidity, and never laminated. Framed cards keep best behind glass with acid-free mounting.

Frequently asked questions